Although clinical thermometers often share similar traits, a single model cannot meet the different needs of all, or even most, users. For example, a user in an emergency room setting may desire a relatively simple electronic thermometer for quickly and easily obtaining a temperature measurement for a patient. With simplicity in mind, the user interface is designed such that the user can turn on the thermometer, take a temperature reading, and then turn it off. On the other hand, in a pediatric office setting, for example, a user may desire additional functions such as the ability to switch between one predictive mode and another or between a predictive mode and a direct measurement mode, or the ability to switch between different patient body locations (e.g., rectal, oral, or in an axilla) for taking temperature measurements. In addition, users in different countries often have different expectations for performance, functionality, and the like. Thus, a manufacturer must produce several different models of a thermometer, which may have the same basic parts (i.e., a housing, a controller, a probe, and a display), but have different user interfaces, menus, software features, and the like.